[VMac]

Hi everyone, just purchased yesterday (Memorial Day) from Kolbe Honda in Reseda, CA.

I was torn for many months between the Scion xB and the Element. I had actually decided on the Scion, but I'm glad my procrastination prevented me from buying right away. The recent $1000 incentive from Honda was the final nudge I needed, but the real deciding factor was the extra room/versatility of the Element over the xB. I love that I can throw the bike(s) in the back without even taking the front wheels off.

I will be checking out the Mobile Electronics sub-forum for recommendations on a portable gps unit. I've seen some of the excellent mounting strategies from a few of you. If you have any strong recommendations, I'd love to hear them.

One quick question. The trim rings around the shifter and logo on the steering wheel (second photo) are red. Can these be easily removed/replaced? I'd like to get black ones (or paint the existing ones).

I will probably also get some seat covers (not a fan of the spider man stripes), but that will probably have to wait a bit.

Thanks,
Vance

 

[mrbillw]

Congrats on the new ride!!!! And welcome to the EOC forum. Hope to see you at one of our local meets.
MrBill

 

[SK8nLMNT]

nice looking E. I see you are in Reseda...check out Mandarin Deli @ reseda and prarie!


You can get some decent seat covers at wally world. Not a big fan of those stripes either. search the forums..mine came in black so not sure

 

[REZA]

Nice SC Vance, she is gorgous. I just took delivery of my 09 SC two weeks ago. Mine is silver and My trim rings are dark silver so they tie in with the rest of the truck very well. I agree those red trim rings don't go very well with PMM color, they look better in a Red or Black E.
I think the cheapest way is to buy some grey or black trim vinyl and wrap them.

Welcome & congrats on your brand new E.:lol:

 

[VMac]

Thanks Bill. How often do you have the meets here in socal?

SK8nLMNT: I'm in Lake Balboa, so I'll check it out. I'm tempted by leather seat covers... but navi is the first order of business!

REZA: it doesn't look like the "rings" come off for easy painting. Kinda frustrating.

 

[Snuffleupagus]

Welcome to the EOC, VMac.

I do love that color. I love how it resembles some kind of liquid metal in some lights.

 

[VMac]

Everyone loves their new car purchase. But since my transition was (supposedly) for practical reasons only, I actually expected to miss my old car (Acura CL-S) more than be happy with the new one. After all, I was giving up a lot of horsepower, even more power:weight, fantastic leather interior, gps, etc... for a very spartan box-on-wheels.

Well, I am quite ecstatic with my Element. Perhaps in my rapidly advancing old age, I've come to realize the importance of space and utility. But I don't miss the aforementioned (awesome) Acura at all.

That said, here are my quick first impressions/quibbles after just a couple days.

At first I thought visibility was the worst of any vehicle I had been in. But I also had the rear seats folded up. I've since removed them entirely, and visibility still isn't great, but it's passable. Rear visibility is passable, that is. Front visibility is fantastic.

Interesting note related to visibility -- this thing has a serious pug nose, as opposed to the long nose on my Acura. So when I pulled up to the pole at my work parking spot I thought I was a couple inches away. Well, I was actually about three FEET away. Ha.

Visors are almost useless straight ahead, and completely useless on side window. Disadvantage of such high headroom.

Turning radius is phenomenal for a vehicle this size.

No hooks to hang my dry cleaning!

I thought it would drive like a Mack truck compared to my Acura, but it's not that bad.

The rear seatbelts can't be stowed away can they? I don't ever anticipate using the rear seats, but I can't bear to cut them. But I also don't like having them in the way for no reason.

While the rear seats aren't exactly anchors, I can definitely see saving some fuel costs with removing both.

 

[insane_sc]

Show more pics of that beast, that color looks good and I want to see more!!

 

[RdE_Rnr]

Welcome to EOC VMac, SoCal Meet happens all the time, just check out the California Element Owners for upcoming Mods Meets/Eat.

 

[REZA]

REZA: it doesn't look like the "rings" come off for easy painting. Kinda frustrating.

VMac- I was referring to vinyl sheet that is used to wrap chrome trim pieces to make them look black. Kind of like the film for window tint.

 

[VMac]

VMac- I was referring to vinyl sheet that is used to wrap chrome trim pieces to make them look black. Kind of like the film for window tint.

Hmm, that might be the ticket. Is it pretty easy to apply, then just exacto the outline, I guess? Where does one get such film?

 

[markjaycups]

Quite possibly my new favorite E color. Congrats on the new ride - and I agree, those seats and trim don't go with the look of everything else. Hope you can find some good way to fix that.

 

[REZA]

Hmm, that might be the ticket. Is it pretty easy to apply, then just exacto the outline, I guess? Where does one get such film?

www.decalfx.com/vinylsheets.html

www.aestheticreations.net

or any local vinyl shop

 

[RHCP0801]

looks great, love the color

 

[4 WIND]

Cool

V Mac

I'm brand new to this site and don't even have a photo of my SC yet. I bought mine used (less than 24 hours ago), and the prior owner had a plastic disc set to the right of the stereo. I cliped my Nuvi onto it, put a 1-to-2 splitter on the auxilary power just behind it (I've always needed a radar detector), and it looks good. Sorry about no pics, and it'll have to wait until I get back from Cabo.

 

[Jim N]

Nice E...almost bought a silver one.

FYI: I don't think you'll be able to put seat covers on....the side airbags are in the seatbacks. I believe the owners manual mentions this?

 

[hrdbox]

that color is awesome

 

[z(+)diac]

I'm definitely digging this color. More and larger photos are definitely a must!